Yankees 10
Rockies 4
Fifty minutes before Jose Contreras unleashed the game’s first pitch yesterday, John Flaherty was trying to deal with a stomach problem that was producing heavy belches and making the backup catcher uncomfortable.
Three hours later, Flaherty delivered the knockout blow to the Rockies when he clubbed a sixth-inning grand slam that broke open a 10-4 Yankees victory in front of a Stadium crowd of 41,586.
Added to his RBI single in the fifth that put the Yankees ahead 5-4, Flaherty tied a career-high with five RBIs.
“My stomach got better as the game went along,” said Flaherty, who drove an 0-2 Scott Dohmann fastball over the left-field fence for his second homer of the season and second career slam. “It only bothered me when I went to back up first base.”
Bernie Williams continued to swing a hot stick and collected his 2,000th career hit with a fourth-inning single to right. He is the seventh player in Yankees history to reach that plateau.
Williams tripled home a run in the first, singled in the second, singled in the fourth and walked in the sixth and seventh. He is 8-for-14 (.571) in the past four games.
“The most amazing part is that I have been a Yankee all these years,” said Williams, who debuted in 1991. “I am very proud.”
The victory was the Yankees’ fourth straight and hiked the best record in baseball to 38-20. They have posted a major-league-high 25 come-from-behind wins.
Playing once a week, the Yankees ask Flaherty to handle pitchers. Anything he gives them at the plate is a bonus. Yesterday’s task was to coddle Contreras, and after a rocky beginning in which he flushed a 3-0 first-inning lead by the fourth, the right-hander responded.
“When he gave up the two homers in the fourth, it was like, here we go again,” Flaherty said of No. 8 and 9 hitters Luis Gonzalez and Choo Freeman taking Contreras deep to give the Rockies a 4-3 lead. “But he put an end to it.”
Instead of melting, Contreras (3-2) stiffened to retire the next 11 batters and left with a 10-4 cushion. In seven innings, he allowed four runs and five hits.
“It was very encouraging,” Contreras said of bouncing back from losing the lead. “It gave me confidence. Prior to going to Triple-A I would get in a difficult position and lose it. Now I just work and get out of it.”
To say Contreras can be counted on is a reach. But at least he didn’t get booed off the Stadium mound like he did in his previous start, when he didn’t make it past the first inning. If Kevin Brown’s back problem is serious, the Yankees are going to need Contreras more than they thought at the start of the season. It remains to be seen if he can deliver.
Flaherty’s slam ensured that Joe Torre didn’t have to use his “A” bullpen of Paul Quantrill, Tom Gordon and Mariano Rivera in the late innings for a change. Torre followed Contreras with Gabe White.
When White gave up two hits and recorded an out to start the eighth, Torre summoned Bret Prinz, who stranded two by fanning Mathew Holliday and Mark Sweeney.
As for 36-year-old Flaherty, who looked bad fanning in his first two at-bats, he understands the limitations of his gig.
“When you play once a week you are not going to feel real comfortable,” said Flaherty, who raised his average from .156 to .180. “I felt better in my next two at-bats and got results.”